Injury | Rob The Hockey Guy

Kesler and Booth injured to start season, local media overreact

January 17, 2013 Rob 0 Comments Injury

The Canucks got some more bad news the other day, learning that David Booth has a pulled groin and will be out of the lineup for 4 to 6 weeks. That’s coupled with Ryan Kesler’s injury, to which we don’t know when he will be back. This news has sparked people to completely overreact, wondering [...]

Why Aren’t the Bruins the Most Hated Team in the NHL?

November 20, 2011 Rob 7 Comments Injury, Special Feature

I’m not sure when exactly this began, but it’s pretty clear that the Vancouver Canucks are the most hated team in the NHL. We got more evidence of this when the recently retired Mark Recchi decided to offer this up: (In) 22 years they are the most arrogant team I played against and the most [...]

Kesler to Miss Start of Season; Cody Hodgson: Your Time is NOW

August 2, 2011 Rob 4 Comments Injury

The Canucks announced on Tuesday that Ryan Kesler underwent hip surgery and will be out 10-12 weeks, meaning that he’ll likely start the season in November. It’s interesting that they waited until August to do the surgery. Perhaps they were waiting to see if his hip would get better without surgery (as they claim) or perhaps there’s something sneakier going on. Is it possible that the Canucks purposely chose to have Ryan Kesler have surgery late in the summer, meaning that he would miss a month of the regular season while he recovers, thus saving precious cap space? Perhaps I’m reading too much into this, but it’s certainly plausible. Having Sami Salo injured for more than half a season last year was of great reward to the Canucks, because they were able to save on the cap while still getting Salo back for the playoffs.

THIS Is What We Live For: Stanley Cup Final Game 7

June 15, 2011 Rob 0 Comments Game Preview, Playoffs

I’m not one to use Canucks marketing campaign slogans on a regular basis (I’ve never said that ‘we are all Canucks’), but never has ‘this is what we live for’ been more true. Game 7, Stanley Cup Final, at home. This IS what we live for. It’s what the players live for, it’s what the fans live for. Quite simply stated, it’s the biggest game in Canucks history. It’s bigger than 1994. There will probably never be a bigger game for this franchise. This is their time. They will become legends if they win, or be labeled as chokers should they come up short.

Manny Malhotra will play in game 1

May 28, 2011 Rob 3 Comments Injury

Great news from the Canucks today, as it was revealed that Manny Malhotra has been medically cleared to play hockey again. Media outlets aren’t saying when he’s going to play, but I will. He will play in game 1. I base this on the fact that Cody Hodgson is getting very few minutes on the 4th line right now, and the fact that Malhotra has been skating for weeks. He should be in decent game shape. So if he’s medically able to play (which he is), he’ll play.

Manny Malhotra Skates, May Return This Season

May 11, 2011 Rob 0 Comments Injury, Rumours

It was a slow day in Canuckland today given that the team has been given their second day off without practicing and the fact that they won’t play game 1 of the conference finals until Sunday. That was, until Jason Botchford of the Province dropped this in the Twitter world:

Concerning Stats Making Canuck Nation Uneasy Before Game 6 In Nashville

May 8, 2011 Rob 16 Comments Game Preview

I’m sure you’ve heard by now, Henrik Sedin has 1 goal (an empty netter) in his last 18 games. Daniel Sedin has not scored since the Chicago series. Their plus-minus is a combined -14 in the postseason. Mason Raymond has zero goals.

Do or Die: Canucks-Blackhawks Game 7 Preview

April 25, 2011 Rob 0 Comments Game Preview

For the first time in the Canucks-Blackhawks Trilogy, we will have a game 7. And it will happen in the most improbable way. As you must know by now, the Canucks have squandered a 3-0 series lead and now face elimination on Tuesday night.

Malhotra Out for Season – Panic Ensues

March 21, 2011 Rob 0 Comments Injury

I’ve got to admit that when I heard the news this morning that Manny Malhotra would be lost for the regular season and playoffs due to his eye injury, I began a mini-panic. Weird that a season ending injury to a 30-35 point scorer could cause such angst, but anybody that has followed this team closely knows that he’s more than that.

Injured Canucks Defencemen – Then and Now

February 17, 2011 Rob 1 Comment Injury

The Vancouver Canucks will play tonight’s game in Nashville without Alex Edler, Dan Hamhuis, Keith Ballard, Andrew Alberts and, as we found out this morning, Kevin Bieksa. That’s 5 of their top 7 defencemen out of the lineup. To make matters worse, minor leaguer Lee Sweatt broke his foot in practice. Even the Manitoba Moose have injury troubles on the blueline, with Nolan Baumgartner suffering an injury last week. He might have been one of the recent call-ups.